The most common and least serious type of traumatic brain injury is called a concussion. The word comes from the Latin concutere, which means “to shake violently.” **As seen in countless Saturday morning cartoons, a concussion is most often caused by a sudden direct blow or bump to the head. The brain is made of soft tissue. It’s cushioned by spinal fluid and encased in the protective shell of the skull. When you sustain a concussion, the impact can jolt your brain. Sometimes, it literally causes it to move around in your head. Traumatic brain injuries can cause bruising, damage to the blood vessels, and injury to the nerves. **If a child has a concussion, an adult should monitor him or her for the first 24 hours. It’s important to watch for behavioral changes. Young children, especially, may not be able to fully communicate what they are feeling, so it is critical to watch them closely. Do not give medications, including aspirin, which may cause bleeding, to a child without consulting a doctor. **Concussions are graded as mild (grade 1), moderate (grade 2), or severe (grade 3), depending on such factors as loss of consciousness, amnesia, and loss of equilibrium. **Seek medical attention. A health care professional can decide how serious the concussion is and whether you require treatment. If you have suffered a grade 1 or grade 2 concussion, wait until symptoms are gone before returning to normal activities. That could take several minutes, hours, days, or even a week. **If you have sustained a grade 3 concussion, see a doctor immediately for observation and treatment.
